


The Calm, the Storm, and the Peep-Toe Pumps

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Everything After [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-23
Updated: 2011-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-27 21:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/300481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She didn’t want this; didn’t want to need him.  But she needed someone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Calm, the Storm, and the Peep-Toe Pumps

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY!!! I had two other story ideas but canon Erin came back and wanted to tell more of her story. She was speaking the loudest at the time. This isn’t the way I usually write them but it’s an interesting journey they're going on.

Erin opened the door and tried to smile. Dave immediately knew that something wasn’t right.

“Hi.” He said.

“Hi. Eli’s running late so the kids are still here. Nora offered to look after her brother until he arrived but I didn’t think it was a good idea. I don’t need any reason whatsoever for Eli to crawl up my ass.”

“I understand.” Dave nodded. “The kids are here?”

“Nora and Ted are here.” Erin replied. “Come in and say hello.”

“Sure.”

He walked into the living room with Erin. Ted was relaxing on the couch, knee deep in a handheld video game. Nora was in the overstuffed chair scribbling in what looked like a journal. Dave smiled at him.

“Nora, do you remember Agent Rossi?” her mother asked.

“Yes.” Nora put her book down, bouncing up to shake his hand. “Hi Agent Rossi.”

She’d been an adorable little girl who grew into a beautiful young woman. Nearly 17, she just began her senior year at the National Cathedral School. While her brown hair and eyes were inherited from her father, Nora was Erin’s daughter. She had the classic Anglo-Saxon bone structure.

Her smile was bright and charming; Dave wondered if she was perfect or just pretended to be. One thing he knew about children in dysfunctional families, some became perfect to have control over something. Dave looked deep into her eyes and saw something genuine. Erin had the same look when he met her many moons ago.

“Wow, you're practically a grownup.” Dave said. “The last time I saw you there was Little House on the Prairie plaits and Mary Janes.”

“That was a really long time ago.” Nora laughed.

“I know; I think it was 2001. Your parents threw a Christmas party. It’s altogether possible that I crashed it.”

Nora laughed again as Erin introduced Dave to Ted. He stopped playing long enough to shake the older man’s hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Agent Rossi.”

“You too, Ted. What are you playing?”

“It’s called Dragon Slayers.” Ted replied.

“Are you playing Volume Two or Three?”

“You know Dragon Slayers?” his blue eyes went wide.

Ted was all Erin, with the blonde hair and blue eyes to match. He was built like his father but other than that there was no resemblance to Eli. If Dave’s memory served, Mary Katherine looked like her mother as well. It served Eli right for the way he treated Erin…he would have to look at her all day, everyday.

“Sometimes I play video games to ease the tension. I never thought it would be my thing but some of them are quite good. The graphics are great too. I have a friend in the gaming industry and he's shown me a few things.”

“That’s awesome.” Ted smiled. “Do you shoot people in your job? Mom is in the FBI but she says she doesn’t shoot people.”

“No, I'm just a pencil pusher.” Erin replied smiling. “No talking about shooting people.”

“Aww c'mon Mom. Can Agent Rossi tell me just one story? He’s a profiler right; that is so cool.”

“No way.” she shook her head. “And Agent Rossi isn’t just a profiler; he's one of the best profilers around. Use your imagination.”

Ted looked disappointed as Dave sat beside him on the couch.

“What did you guys do this weekend?” he asked.

“We just hung out.” Erin said. “We went to the Farmer’s Market, watched movies, cooked, and talked…things I missed out on before. Ted made the cat dizzy.”

“That was fun.” He replied smiling.

“I think getting the cat was a good idea.” Nora said. “Mom says you bought her, Agent Rossi.”

“Yes.” He nodded. “I have a dog so I know how great it feels to always have a pal.”

The intercom buzzed. Erin sighed as she walked back over to the door. She knew who it was. He was the only person who didn’t respect her enough to speak to her face to face. She couldn’t even remember the last time they'd had a conversation. That’s what nearly two decades of marriage got you…utter disrespect. But Erin held her head up high because she always had. There was also no way in hell she would let her children see her sadness. Just because they knew it was there didn’t mean she wanted them seeing it.

“Hello.” She spoke into the intercom.

“I'm downstairs. Send my children down please.”

Before she could even respond, the line went dead. Taking a deep breath, Erin made sure when she turned back to the kids she was wearing a smile.

“Dad’s here.” She said.

Nora and Ted gathered up their things. Ted left his video game on the coffee table; his father didn’t like him wasting his time with that stuff at home. When Erin opened her arms, both of her children walked into them. There were plenty of hugs and kisses.

“Tell MK I said hello.” Erin said.

“I will Mom.” Nora assured her, kissing her cheek again. “Love you.”

“I love you too. I’ll call you in a few days.”

“Bye.” They said in unison. “Bye Agent Rossi.”

“Bye guys.” Dave waved.

They looked sad to go and Erin looked devastated watching them leave. She held her smile until the door closed. Then she looked at Dave. Actually, she did almost everything she could not to look at Dave.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Of course.” He nodded.

As Erin went into the powder room, Dave sat back and relaxed. He didn’t know how long she would be but he would let her take her time. Her relationship with her children had been reduced to less than 48 hours every other weekend and one evening a week for dinner. That must have been agonizing for her. She’d surely made her share of mistakes as a parent, everyone did, but Dave saw Erin’s love for them when they had to say goodbye.

While he thought about it, the cat padded into the room. She was beautiful, with her shiny black coat and regal strut. The young woman at the adoption center where they went said that she was possibly a full bred Bombay. Dave didn’t know much about cats…he was a dog guy.

But Erin fell in love with her immediately. He knew the kids named her Sasha Fierce and that made their mother smile. He put his hand down to the cat’s level. She looked at him, thought of ignoring him, and then walked over. After a few sniffs, Sasha bit him. It didn’t hurt; she was probably being playful.

“Be careful.” Erin came back into the room. “She's a nipper.”

“Yeah, I know.” He shook his hand.

“I'm so sorry.”

“Its alright.” Dave stood up. “Are you alright?”

“Lets just go out and have a nice afternoon.” she replied. Erin didn’t want to talk about it.

This time it was Dave who opened his arms and Erin walked into them. She exhaled, holding him tighter. She didn’t want this; didn’t want to need him. But she needed someone. Human beings weren't meant to go through life alone.

She definitely wasn’t meant to go through this hell alone. Right now her brain was just too scattered and shattered. Erin took another breath in through her nose, slowing blowing it out. Dave rubbed her back.

“Day 57.” She whispered.

“For that we celebrate.” He was still rubbing her back. “Anything you want…just name it.”

“I want a dulce de leche milkshake.”

“Wow that was easy.” Dave grinned. “When have you ever been so easy, Erin Strauss? I thought you'd say a sable coat or some Christian Louboutin pumps.”

“The day will never come when I turn down free shoes. I don’t have a damn place to wear them at the moment.”

“I'm having some creative thoughts about that.”

“Where I come from those thoughts are called dirty.” Erin said.

“How do you know I'm having dirty thoughts?” he asked.

“I don’t have to be a profiler to know that David Rossi + Christian Louboutin pumps = dirty thoughts.”

“You forgot the sable coat.” He kissed her forehead. “C'mon, let’s go out and get some fresh air.”

Nodding, Erin pulled away from him. There was a lot she wanted to say but wasn’t sure how. So much had happened in just two weeks. Dave had been there for her since he found out what she was going through. Erin tried not to get too dependent but he was so easy to talk to and be with. Their recent falling out over the not-death of Emily Prentiss seemed like many, many moons ago. There were bigger fish to fry now.

“Where are we going?” she asked, going in the hall closet for her denim jacket.

“Who cares? We’re going outside…that’s the point.”

“OK.” She smiled.

Dave held out his arm for her and Erin let the outing begin.

***

“I think this is a little insane.”

“What's wrong with it?” Dave asked.

“I'm in Neiman Marcus with a milkshake trying on expensive shoes.”

“Sounds like my kinda fantasy.” He smiled.

“If you add a harpist, Javier Bardem, and a pack of barking dogs it would be just like some of my dreams.” Erin said.

“What the hell do you eat before going to sleep?” Dave raised his eyebrow.

“I don’t have those dreams every night.”

“Thank God for that.” he laughed as the shop girl returned with five new shoeboxes. She took three of the other four with her.

“The sleeping medication I'm on has a side effect of vivid dreams.” Erin said after thanking her. “Sometimes they’re very vivid.”

She opened the first box and smiled. They were a pair of burgundy Stuart Weitzman suede, peep-toe pumps. Taking them out of the box, Erin exhaled.

“That’s a sexy ass shoe.” Dave said.

“I never knew you had a foot fetish.” Erin replied.

“I don’t even care about feet. I have a sexy shoe on a sexy woman fetish. I think every man in the world has that.”

“Is it so sexy with my rolled up pants leg?”

“You’ve nailed my fantasy to a tee, woman. You have no idea.”

“I bet.” Erin smiled, standing up and going over to the mirror. “I love these shoes.”

“Buy them.”

“David, they're $445.”

“Firstly, you can afford that. Secondly, who said you were paying for them.”

“No, hell no; you're not buying me shoes.”

“Fine,” Dave shrugged. “I'm not buying you shoes.”

Erin looked at him but couldn’t read his face. She kept looking at him as she put the shoes back in the box. The next pair, black Lankin Sweetheart-Vamp pumps where even sexier. The heel was lower too but Erin could be alright on 3” or shorter.

“OK, I'm buying these.”

“They're even more expensive than the Weitzman pump.”

“But…I love them.”

“Exactly.” Dave nodded. “Buy them and keep wearing that smile.”

Erin rolled her eyes, putting the shoes back in the box. She would buy both pairs of shoes and they would make her feel better. It wouldn’t last forever, maybe not even through the night, but some of Erin’s days were minute by minute. There was nothing wrong with feeling better for a few minutes.

“Do you remember suggesting that I take up running?” Erin asked as they walked to the register with three shoeboxes. The red Christian Louboutin patent leather platform pumps were going home with her as well.

“Yes.”

“Well I didn’t think that was a good idea but I did join a dance class.”

“That’s great.” He smiled. “What kind of dance is it?”

“It’s like a pop dance class. There's a lot of Britney Spears and Beyonce but I like it. I sweat, a lot, but more importantly I burn away some of this pent up energy. Much of its negative and needs to go.”

“Do you know when you're coming back to Quantico?”

Dave handed the woman at the register his platinum Visa before Erin could even reach into her purse. She cut her eyes at him but didn’t fight. This wasn’t a milkshake…the man just spent $1870 without batting an eyelash. He must really like a sexy woman in a sexy shoe.

Erin couldn’t remember the last time Eli bought her a damn thing. Of course what was the point of being a good husband to a bad wife? They both made their share of mistakes over the years. Eventually, maybe, she would stop thinking of him as a douchebag. Everything in her life was one day at a time.

“I'm pissed at you.” she replied.

“Does that mean you're not going to answer my question?”

“I don't know the answer.” Erin took the shopping bags as Dave took the receipt. “My leave of absence is ninety days but…”

She didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Too much was going on for her to even think about Quantico right now. She loved her job but knew that the stress and pressure was at least partly responsible for her current predicament. Erin also knew if she wasn’t back there on Day 91, the power struggle would begin to dethrone her and rise from her ashes.

There were at least 4 people she could think of who wanted her job. Two of them had the balls to stab her in the back to get it. Her special relationship with the Deputy Director would only take her so far. Lots of people had markers in their pockets and big dogs on their side.

“Its alright.” Dave put his arm around her shoulder. “Being better is your #1 priority right now. That’s as it should be. The rest will come in time. I won't ask you about it anymore.”

Erin nodded. There were some days when she truly believed that all she had the strength to do was not take that drink. Since there was more to life than that, Erin would have to get more strength soon. It was coming slowly but surely, at least she hoped it was. Hell, at least she was getting outside again.

The first two weeks home from rehab she hardly left her bedroom. Her psychiatrist wanted her to celebrate every victory. Erin was spending time with her children again and faithfully going to both therapy and her dance class now. She had also been sober for 57 days. If nothing else happened all of that would still be an arm waving, shoe shopping, and milkshake drinking victory.

***

“Do you want to stay?” Erin asked.

“Yes…that’s exactly why I'm going home.”

They sat on the couch as the credits rolled on _His Girl Friday_. After milkshakes, shoe shopping, and a long walk through the nation’s capital on a beautiful autumn afternoon, Dave and Erin went back to her condo. Instead of ordering in, she wanted to try something from the _Swingin Single Girl’s Cookbook_. Nora bought it for her last Christmas. Erin couldn’t help but laugh when she got it.

She thought it was time to use it. So she and Dave made steak stir fry with brown rice and soy sauce. The meal was actually edible. While Erin wasn’t the world’s worst cook, there were plenty who were better. Dave made sure to compliment the chef. Then it was movie time.

“My doctor says I need to wait a year, at least, before I start having a sexual relationship. Candy says the same.”

“Who’s Candy?” Dave asked.

“She's my friend taking the dance class with me. We met in rehab. She’s a recovering prescription drug addict, and a COO. We’re everywhere I guess.” Erin shrugged. “The two of us said we’d do our best to be there for each other. Candy’s lucky though…she’s got a great husband who loves her very much.”

“You’ve got people who love you too.”

“I know that.” she nodded.

“And by the way, there are probably close to a thousand ways to make love without actual coitus.” Dave said.

“That’s an extremely unattractive word.” Erin scrunched up her nose.

“It’s still the truth.”

“I know that. I asked you to stay, David. You're the one who said you wanted to go.”

“It’s probably for the best tonight. But I'm here; I'm not going anywhere Erin.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“You don’t have to keep saying that.” He countered. “I've been here…it’s been two years.”

“Don’t say it that way.” she whispered, moving out of his arms on the couch. “I've only been divorced for one.”

“You and I know both know what we had and have. This isn’t Quantico; the place isn’t bugged.”

“Sometimes I wonder.”

Ironically, it was drinks that brought Erin and Dave together again. After the Foyet inquest and letting Hotch off with a slap on the wrist, the two of them ended up riding down together on the elevator. Dave invited her out for a drink, why he still wasn’t sure. Erin didn’t know why she accepted.

She could drink at home and wouldn’t have to make conversation. But she went, managing to stick to her three drink minimum for school nights. Everything changed after that night. Not all of it was for the better.

“I'm not going to stop caring about you, especially right now.” Dave said. “When Carolyn came back into my life for that short time she reminded me that you can get second chances. Sometimes you think you do and you're wrong. But sometimes you really do.”

“I'm already getting one second chance.” Erin replied.

“I didn’t know there was a limit on how many you could get. Shit, now I'm concerned.”

“Shut up.” She laughed and playfully slapped his chest. Dave pulled her close again. Erin wrapped her arms around him.

“I'm going home tonight.” he said, giving her Eskimo kisses before kissing her nose. “But why don’t we plan a sleepover for a weekend you don’t have the kids. No funny stuff; it’ll just be movies, conversation, and maybe milkshakes. The first one to fall asleep gets their hand in a bowl of water.”

“Your work schedule doesn’t always do weekends off.”

“You're right about that. But a little coordination goes a long way. You tell me when you wanna and I’ll be here.”

“OK.” Erin nodded and she meant it. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“So many things I can hardly name them. I'm getting better but I've got a long way to go. But you can't hold me up, David; I've got to do this on my own.”

“Yes you do. You also have to remember that on your own and alone are not the same thing. My having your back doesn’t mean I'm holding you up.”

“I just need a friend right now. Anything more would be…”

Dave understood. He didn’t want to do anything to screw up her sobriety. This might be Erin’s last chance to make things right. If he cared about her, which he did, he needed to help and not harm.

So there would be times when he backed off and times when he pulled her close. He would always be there to talk to but would do his best not to overwhelm. As much as he didn’t want her to hurt anymore Dave knew she would. There would be times when she needed to be alone; he would have to respect and accept that.

“You’ve always got a friend in me.” he hugged her. Then he stood up from the couch. “Now its time for your friend to go home.”

Smiling, Erin got up from the couch too. She took his hand and they walked to the door together.

“I had a great time today, and not just because you spent too much money on me.”

“I did too. Do you have plans tomorrow?”

“I have dance class on Monday and Wednesday. Other than that, I don’t have a lot going on.”

“Day 58.” Dave said.

“Nope.” Erin shook her head. “I'm not there yet. Let’s just celebrate Day 57.”

“Good idea.” He kissed her forehead and then her lips. “Yay Day 57.”

“Yay.” She smiled, accepting another kiss.

“Goodnight, Erin.”

“Goodnight. I’ll call you.”

“OK.”

Dave wanted to kiss her again but didn’t. Instead he caressed her face, pressing his forehead on hers. He had no idea how long they stood in front of her open door.

“Have a good night.” He said. “You can try on those shoes again and dance around to Beyonce songs. But if you do that…record it on your phone and send it to me.”

“Bye David.” Laughing, Erin kissed his cheek and patted his shoulder as he walked out.

When Dave looked back and waved, she did the same. Erin waited until he was on the elevator to close her door. After locking up, she went into the kitchen and put the teakettle on. Day 57 was almost over. It had been a good one.

She had happy memories of her kids and her outing with Dave. Before bed there would be tea and a Jane Green novel. 33 days until her leave of absence was over. Erin wasn’t supposed to think too far ahead but she couldn’t help it.

What would happen when she returned to Quantico? She wanted her job back; had always loved it despite what it could put her through. She was just going to have to put her foot down about work. Nine to six and then she was going home. Of course there would be days where that couldn’t happen but they were going to be much less than before.

She was going to start taking her lunch breaks; leaving the office, getting air. Her dance classes and therapy would continue also. One night a week she would cook for her kids and talk to them about their lives. Erin Strauss would live. She would live without alcohol.

She couldn’t live without stress but her coping mechanisms had to change. Her only true option was to stay sober. Luckily, there were many different ways for her to achieve that goal. With sobriety old doors closed long ago, by mistake or neglect, would be reopened.

***


End file.
